Apple’s iPhone devices are drawing more attention from Android users in the United States, with a growing number of Android owners switching to iOS. This shift is highlighted by a recent analysis from the Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
The findings show that around 15 percent of new iPhone buyers previously owned an Android device. That figure marks a notable increase from last year and a higher level than in 2020 and 2021, underscoring a sustained trend toward Apple’s ecosystem among former Android users.
CIRP notes that Apple has attracted a larger share of Android-to-iPhone buyers over the last five years, contributing to an overall rise in the pool of iPhone customers. In addition to this, the study points to a record average selling price for iPhones, approaching the thousand-dollar mark, a metric that reflects ongoing demand for higher-end models and the premium positioning of the line.
Historically, Android users who switch to iPhone represent a significant proportion of new buyers. The share of legacy Android customers among new iPhone purchasers peaked earlier in the decade, with 21 percent in 2016, and later settled at lower levels in the following years.
The CIRP data also show that a large majority of new iPhone buyers come from prior iPhone ownership, with about 83 percent already having used an iPhone before. In contrast, only a small portion, around 2 percent, report purchasing an iPhone as a first-ever smartphone or as a regular phone for the first time. These numbers illustrate the platform’s ability to attract former iPhone users while drawing a smaller slice of true first-time buyers.
At the start of May, CIRP released an additional study focusing on how frequently iPhone owners replace their devices, offering further context on buying cycles and upgrade patterns that influence demand and pricing. [CIRP attribution]